0:00:02 > 0:00:04I've been fighting your consumer battles for years now.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07But the same old problems just keep flooding in.
0:00:07 > 0:00:09And it's all the usual suspects -
0:00:09 > 0:00:13poor customer service, faulty goods and hidden small print.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17No wonder some of you are fed up with the way you're being treated.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21It really annoys me when companies makes unrealistic promises
0:00:21 > 0:00:24which, more often than not, they don't stick to.
0:00:24 > 0:00:28I hate it when people seem disinterested and they're not there to help.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30I'll be taking on your cases and fighting your fight
0:00:30 > 0:00:32with the big companies.
0:00:32 > 0:00:34People upset me...
0:00:34 > 0:00:35Big mistake.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37Big, big mistake.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41And I'll be showing you how to shop smart and stay one step ahead.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43It's just a good way to look at it,
0:00:43 > 0:00:46if you did think, "I have got the money, but I want to be careful."
0:00:46 > 0:00:47That's a really good tip.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49So, remember, don't get done...
0:00:49 > 0:00:51Get Dom.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Coming up on today's show...
0:00:56 > 0:00:59The homeowner made ill by his own flat.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03The meter readings should be safely round about 400 in flats.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05And mine was at 3,400.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07Over six times.
0:01:07 > 0:01:08Roving reporter Rani Price
0:01:08 > 0:01:13will be out and about, finding out just what you know about consumer rights.
0:01:13 > 0:01:15Would you go back to the dealer?
0:01:15 > 0:01:17Um, it wouldn't have been my first thought.
0:01:17 > 0:01:19And love 'em or loathe 'em,
0:01:19 > 0:01:22we give you the lowdown on debt management companies.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26And if they say to you, "We do not know how long this process will take"?
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Walk away. They're not the company for you.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36There's nothing like filling your lungs full of good, clean fresh air,
0:01:36 > 0:01:39but in these traffic-filled streets of our towns and cities,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41it's actually quite hard to do.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45At least once you're inside the comfort of your own home,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48you wouldn't have to worry about the quality of the air you're breathing.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Well, that's what you'd hope.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57That's exactly what 39-year-old Ian Churchill was hoping for
0:01:57 > 0:02:00when he bought a new flat in London's Canary Wharf.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04But unfortunately, he's experienced problems with the property
0:02:04 > 0:02:05that have impacted on his health.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08Ian's story began in 2006.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12The reason why I moved into the area
0:02:12 > 0:02:16was it's Canary Wharf - it's become like a second little centre.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19It's got its own vibrancy about it, it's near the river,
0:02:19 > 0:02:23and this flat came up, so I thought it's perfect for me.
0:02:23 > 0:02:26The flat that caught his eye was in a top location,
0:02:26 > 0:02:30plus, was on the market to buy in partnership with Swan Housing Association -
0:02:30 > 0:02:33an affordable way to purchase a property.
0:02:33 > 0:02:37But within weeks, he realised that something wasn't right.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41I noticed pretty much straight away that I wasn't feeling my best.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43I was waking up feeling very unrested, tired,
0:02:43 > 0:02:46like there's something wrong here, but I'm not quite sure what it is.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50I thought maybe I was overdoing it, so I tried to calm things down a little.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54But that didn't work,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56and over time, his health continued to get worse.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59I'd wake up feeling extremely tired,
0:02:59 > 0:03:00unrested.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Dry eyes, not being able to breathe properly.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06You know...short breaths, shortness of breath.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10You tried to do something and you were really gasping for your breath.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15In 2007, Ian was fearful that his symptoms
0:03:15 > 0:03:18had something to do with the air he was breathing inside the flat.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21He suspected it could have been to do with his boiler.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25As a precaution, Ian bought a carbon monoxide alarm,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27as well as approaching Swan Housing.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31It was only after a couple of months of suffering
0:03:31 > 0:03:32that I spoke to Swan.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36I said, "There's something wrong with this flat. Can you do something about it?"
0:03:36 > 0:03:38But nothing ever came of it.
0:03:38 > 0:03:39No-one ever came out to me,
0:03:39 > 0:03:42and I still kept on feeling worse and worse and worse.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44Over the following three years,
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Ian continued to email and contact Swan Housing,
0:03:47 > 0:03:51telling them about the air quality in his flat and other issues,
0:03:51 > 0:03:53such as condensation and mould.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Ian felt they weren't taking him seriously
0:03:55 > 0:03:58and he instigated a complaints procedure.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03In November 2010, around three years after moving in,
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Swan Housing finally sent a surveyor round.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09He came round to measure the air quality.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12And he said it was good enough. It was sufficient. If I kept my front door open,
0:04:12 > 0:04:18and all my windows, there was adequate ventilation inside my flat.
0:04:18 > 0:04:20Whoa! Hold your horses. Say that again.
0:04:22 > 0:04:23If I kept my front door open,
0:04:23 > 0:04:28and all my windows, there was adequate ventilation inside my flat.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34The surveyor felt there were adequate ventilation openings
0:04:34 > 0:04:37to comply with the building regulations at the time the property was built.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40But one of these openings was the front door.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Following the survey, Swan fitted an air conditioning unit
0:04:44 > 0:04:46designed to purify the air
0:04:46 > 0:04:48and lower the temperature of the flat.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51In the meantime, however, Ian was scouring the internet
0:04:51 > 0:04:54to try and get to the bottom of his health complaints.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57When I looked at the internet to see what
0:04:57 > 0:05:00my symptoms may be caused by,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03I noticed that carbon dioxide was coming up.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06And when I looked into it, I noticed I had all those symptoms.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11First it was carbon monoxide and now it was potentially CO2 as well.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Ian immediately bought a carbon dioxide meter
0:05:14 > 0:05:16and started using it.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18And I just watched mine go up and up and up,
0:05:18 > 0:05:22and I realised that there was no ventilation in my flat at all.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24And since 2010,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27despite Swan Housing having changed Ian's boiler
0:05:27 > 0:05:29and fitting an air conditioning unit,
0:05:29 > 0:05:32little has changed the way Ian feels in his flat.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35Since then, he has continued complaining,
0:05:35 > 0:05:36but in August 2012,
0:05:36 > 0:05:40Swan told Ian that they'd rectified the ventilation problem
0:05:40 > 0:05:42and that the matter was now closed.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48Sounds to me like Ian's pretty concerned about the quality of air in his flat,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51so I've come to East London to meet him and find out what's going on.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53In fact, his front door's ajar.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Is that because he's waiting for me?
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Sadly, I know it isn't.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03- Ian.- Hi, Dom.- Nice to meet you.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Something I found quite strange... You live in a ground-floor apartment here.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Yet your front door was open.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15They said that my front door counted as my ventilation,
0:06:15 > 0:06:19so I'm in a situation where I have to have the front door open.
0:06:19 > 0:06:21And how does that make you feel, security-wise?
0:06:21 > 0:06:23Well, it's not secure at all.
0:06:23 > 0:06:24It's a high-crime area.
0:06:24 > 0:06:28Unbelievably, Ian has actually fitted a special lock
0:06:28 > 0:06:30so that he can leave the front door open,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33just to get the fresh air the flat seems to need.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35I think I need to start at the beginning.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40It's a very nice apartment here, and you purchased it - you don't rent it, do you?
0:06:40 > 0:06:43It's a shared ownership property, so I'm a sub-leaseholder.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46- The main leaseholder is Swan Housing Association.- OK.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50So they own a percentage of it, you own the rest of it, and you pay some mortgage, some rent.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52They're great schemes, when they work fine.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55But that does mean if you get a problem,
0:06:55 > 0:06:56you can go back to Swan Housing.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Basically, yeah.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02This is a problem Ian has lived with since 2006.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06And so I want to get to the bottom of exactly what Swan Housing have done over the years
0:07:06 > 0:07:08to try and rectify the issues.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11What I have noticed, though,
0:07:11 > 0:07:12is you've got a unit up there,
0:07:12 > 0:07:14which looks like an air conditioning unit.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17That was fitted by the housing association,
0:07:17 > 0:07:20because the temperatures inside the flat were reaching 30 degrees.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22That was their solution to cooling the flat down.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26But yet it's not drawing in fresh air
0:07:26 > 0:07:27from outside, is it?
0:07:27 > 0:07:29No.
0:07:29 > 0:07:31Ian and Swan discussed an air conditioning unit
0:07:31 > 0:07:33that would bring in outside air.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37But Ian was not happy with aspects of their proposal.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40So, what about the gas boiler, which Ian suspected
0:07:40 > 0:07:43could have been leaking carbon monoxide into his flat
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and potentially causing his symptoms?
0:07:48 > 0:07:53I came to an agreement with Swan Housing Association that we would both put money together
0:07:53 > 0:07:56to change over to an electric combination boiler.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00And that meant that there was no gas supply coming into my flat.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02And because it wasn't burning any fossil fuels,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06there was no risk of me producing my own carbon monoxide.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09So, as a result of that, you've now got an electric boiler in here,
0:08:09 > 0:08:11- yet you've still got complaints? - Yeah.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13Great, OK - carbon monoxide's gone,
0:08:13 > 0:08:16I'm not under heat stress all the time,
0:08:16 > 0:08:19but I wasn't feeling as good as I do if I'm somewhere else.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23So neither of Swan's remedies improved Ian's health
0:08:23 > 0:08:28and now knowing it wasn't carbon monoxide that was potentially causing him grief,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Ian bought the carbon dioxide tester in 2012.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33I was shocked.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36I was genuinely shocked. When I plugged it in,
0:08:36 > 0:08:38I thought there was something wrong with the meter,
0:08:38 > 0:08:42because the meter readings should be safely around 400, 500 in flats.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46Mine went... I've actually recorded it at 3,400.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- That's how high it was. - Over six times.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51Yeah, ridiculous amounts.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53And I noticed when it got anywhere near 1,000,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55you just started drifting off and falling asleep.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58And my flat was never under 1,000.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02CO2 is measured in parts per million
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and Ian's readings are alarmingly high.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09The situation now is so bad that Ian can only stay in his flat
0:09:09 > 0:09:11a couple of days a week.
0:09:11 > 0:09:12This self-imposed exile
0:09:12 > 0:09:14is clearly out of order.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18What do you think is causing the problem that needs to be resolved?
0:09:18 > 0:09:21I think it's the windows.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24I think the houses are too sealed.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26I think that there's not enough air coming in.
0:09:26 > 0:09:27All the windows are on one side.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29It's just completely sealed,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31and I'd like that to be investigated.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38Ian's problems have been going on now for in excess of six years,
0:09:38 > 0:09:40and it sounds like they're pretty serious,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43so I need to be getting on the phone to Swan Housing Association
0:09:43 > 0:09:45to find out what on earth is going on.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Before I wade in,
0:09:51 > 0:09:53I need to find out just who I'm dealing with.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57Swan Housing Association provides affordable and social housing
0:09:57 > 0:09:59across East London, Suffolk and Essex,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02managing over 10,000 homes.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06The website states that Swan has three core values
0:10:06 > 0:10:10that means they will be imaginative to make things happen,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13be insistent to go the extra mile for residents
0:10:13 > 0:10:17and in touch, listening and responding to residents.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21I'm sure I'll have plenty of opportunity to put those claims to the test.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23Time to give them a call.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25Let's get on to Swan.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35Hello. My name's Dominic Littlewood. I'm calling from the BBC.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39'Once I'm through to the switchboard and explain the reason for my call,
0:10:39 > 0:10:43'she suggests that someone in the public relations department is the right person to speak to.'
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Is there any chance of either putting me through or I'll call him direct?
0:10:47 > 0:10:50'She puts me on hold while she digs out the PR's number.'
0:10:50 > 0:10:53I shall give him a call. Bye.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56Perseverance pays off. I've now got a direct-dial number.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59Don't have to keep going through the switchboard.
0:10:59 > 0:11:04Right, let's see what the public relations department's take on the situation is.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07Oh, hi, good afternoon. It's Dominic Littlewood from the BBC.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10'The PR man doesn't want his voice broadcast,
0:11:10 > 0:11:12'but he listens to what I have to say.'
0:11:12 > 0:11:16The gentleman hasn't been living in his flat for about five months or so.
0:11:16 > 0:11:18It seems he can't really help much at this stage.
0:11:18 > 0:11:21However, he does ask me to email him with the details of the case.
0:11:23 > 0:11:24Bye-bye.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Not much progress so far,
0:11:26 > 0:11:28but I didn't expect it all at this stage.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30At least the ball's rolling.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Time will tell if Swan Housing are willing to clear the air
0:11:34 > 0:11:36when it comes to Ian's ventilation.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39But things definitely hot up when we start testing.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- That's a bit concerning, then, isn't it?- Yes.- Everything so high.- Yes.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50I'm Rani Price, and there's nothing I like better
0:11:50 > 0:11:52than helping you, the buying public,
0:11:52 > 0:11:54through the minefield of regulations
0:11:54 > 0:11:56to make sure you stay savvy shoppers.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Now, your consumer law can be very confusing.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05You've got your Sale of Goods Act,
0:12:05 > 0:12:08distance selling, right to return...and it doesn't stop there.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11But knowing just a few of these laws can not only save you money,
0:12:11 > 0:12:13but a lot of hassle as well.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Do you know what this is?
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Today I'm out on the streets,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22armed with questions to put to you, the buying public,
0:12:22 > 0:12:24to find out if you know your consumer rights
0:12:24 > 0:12:26from your consumer wrongs.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Used cars are the most complained-about consumer problem.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33It seems it drives us round the bend.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35But what rights do we actually have
0:12:35 > 0:12:38when it comes to complaining about a second-hand motor?
0:12:38 > 0:12:39- Got a car?- Yes.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- New car, second-hand car? - Second-hand car.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46Are you a kind of guy that goes to a dealer, or private seller?
0:12:46 > 0:12:48- I went to a dealer.- OK.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51You should be good at this, then. I shall ask you some questions.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56OK. First, let's see how aware you are of your basic rights.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59You saw a car, loved it
0:12:59 > 0:13:01and you took it for a test drive,
0:13:01 > 0:13:02paid your money over
0:13:02 > 0:13:04and off you went, woo-hoo!
0:13:04 > 0:13:08Driving around, feeling very proud of yourself with your new car.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Five months done the line...boom!
0:13:10 > 0:13:12The engine explodes.
0:13:12 > 0:13:13- After five months?- Yeah.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Hopefully, it's under guarantee.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17What do you do next?
0:13:17 > 0:13:18I have no idea.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Would you go back to the dealer?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22It wouldn't have been my first thought.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25You could take it back to the dealer, but he's probably not going to want to know.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Everybody seems to be a bit confused
0:13:28 > 0:13:30about this issue.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Time to hear from our expert.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Under the Sale of Goods Act, consumers will be covered
0:13:34 > 0:13:36for any faults outside what's considered
0:13:36 > 0:13:38"fair wear and tear".
0:13:38 > 0:13:41This can mean, in some cases, things like an engine blowing up
0:13:41 > 0:13:42way before you'd expect it to.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45As it happened at five months,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48you could go back to the dealer, because the car has to be roadworthy
0:13:48 > 0:13:52- and you'd expect it to last longer than five months.- Yes.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55Right, let's take it up a level.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59What about problems that might have been caused by you?
0:13:59 > 0:14:02The passenger door gets stuck.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Your husband's there. You're driving around.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07You get out to snap the pictures, like, "Get out the car!" and he's like...
0:14:07 > 0:14:09SHE MOUTHS
0:14:10 > 0:14:11What are you going to do?
0:14:11 > 0:14:14If it was all right when I bought it and so on,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17I mean, and it became an issue
0:14:17 > 0:14:20after a few months, I'd presume I have to fix it myself.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24Knowing my husband, he'd probably get it fixed and he wouldn't go back to the garage.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27Well, in fact, you're all wrong.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29You have more rights than you think.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31If the passenger door is stuck,
0:14:31 > 0:14:33as much as it is inconvenient,
0:14:33 > 0:14:34it also wouldn't pass its MOT.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Which means it's unsafe to drive, and unworthy to be on the road.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39So, you could take it back to the dealer
0:14:39 > 0:14:42and it's their responsibility to get that fixed.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Time now to reflect on wing mirrors.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48So you're going down the road
0:14:48 > 0:14:50and your wife says, "That wing mirror's a bit rusty.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52"Are you going to get that sorted?"
0:14:52 > 0:14:54Who's going to fix that one?
0:14:55 > 0:14:58If I felt it was a dealer responsibility - maybe it is -
0:14:58 > 0:15:00I would take it back for the wing mirror.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02- I'd go to the dealer.- No!
0:15:02 > 0:15:04No!
0:15:06 > 0:15:07Well, you're wrong again.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09If it doesn't concern roadworthiness,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11then it's not the dealer's concern.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16And anyway, it's not a brand-new motor, so different rules are going to apply.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21It does make a difference whether you bought an old banger for £200
0:15:21 > 0:15:24or a very expensive £50,000 car.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27You've got to take into account reasonable expectations.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31Of course, the £200 car is not going to last as long as the £50,000 car.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36How long before your good luck runs out with this dealer?
0:15:36 > 0:15:39I imagine you'd be lucky to get one thing fixed on the car.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41If it's a second thing, I think he'll say he's busy.
0:15:41 > 0:15:42Six months?
0:15:42 > 0:15:44No? Yes?
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Stick with the first answer!
0:15:46 > 0:15:48Within the first six months,
0:15:48 > 0:15:50the onus is on the dealer.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Then, if there was a problem, you'd have to prove that it was the car's fault
0:15:54 > 0:15:56and not something you had been doing.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59You may have up to six years to make a claim against the seller of the car
0:15:59 > 0:16:03for supplying you a car that is not of a satisfactory quality.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07So, next time you buy a second-hand car,
0:16:07 > 0:16:09learn your rights so you stay on the straight and narrow.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17I've been answering a cry for help from Ian Churchill,
0:16:17 > 0:16:21who is convinced that his flat's potentially poor ventilation
0:16:21 > 0:16:22is making him ill.
0:16:22 > 0:16:24I'd wake up in the morning
0:16:24 > 0:16:26and I couldn't lift my head up from the pillow.
0:16:27 > 0:16:31It was just... It was like I'd been drugged all night long.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35Swan Housing Association, who co-own his flat,
0:16:35 > 0:16:36have tried over the past six years
0:16:36 > 0:16:39to help, by installing an air conditioning unit
0:16:39 > 0:16:40and changing the boiler.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43But Ian's symptoms still persist,
0:16:43 > 0:16:45and he only stays in his flat two days a week.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49I'm trying to stress to them that this problem
0:16:49 > 0:16:51isn't just something I'm making up in my head.
0:16:51 > 0:16:53I've started the ball rolling.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56I gave Swan Housing a call, but so far, have only been able to speak
0:16:56 > 0:16:58with their public relations department,
0:16:58 > 0:17:00and the clock is ticking to get this problem solved.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06And it turns out Ian is not the only resident suffering health problems here.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12- Hello.- Hi, is that Maria?- Hi.- Hi, Maria. It's Dominic from Don't Get Done Get Dom.- Come in.
0:17:12 > 0:17:13Thank you.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20Hi, Maria.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23Maria also has serious concerns about the air quality in her flat,
0:17:23 > 0:17:25where she lives with her two daughters.
0:17:25 > 0:17:30- You've had some fears, haven't you? - When I first moved in, I bought a carbon monoxide detector.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32I assumed there was something wrong with the air.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34There was obviously something that made me feel quite ill.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37And my older daughter - it was just me and her at the time -
0:17:37 > 0:17:41she started constantly getting sick as well.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44That's when I discovered the mould underneath the mattress.
0:17:44 > 0:17:48Like Ian downstairs, Maria embarked on a series of complaints
0:17:48 > 0:17:52to Swan Housing, to get them to check out her flat.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55I said, "We need some more ventilation here,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57"because the air's not escaping."
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Cos we were just suffering with dry eyes
0:18:00 > 0:18:02and dry nostrils - the nose, the throat,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05and, of course, the dizziness.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07How do you feel about this apartment right now?
0:18:07 > 0:18:10To me, I just feel like it's a prison as well now,
0:18:10 > 0:18:13because you've got the kids running around
0:18:13 > 0:18:15and some days they feel ill.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19One minute they're fine, the next minute they're feeling dizzy
0:18:19 > 0:18:23and fatigue...and a bit zombified, you know?
0:18:27 > 0:18:29The sad thing is here, in Maria's case,
0:18:29 > 0:18:32if there's one place where you and your kids should feel safe and secure,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35it's inside your own four walls.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37Yet, in her case, it's exactly the opposite.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40I need Swan Housing to get their finger out PDQ.
0:18:40 > 0:18:41Pretty damn quick.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46What we really need is independently verified evidence
0:18:46 > 0:18:49that it's the air quality caused by bad ventilation
0:18:49 > 0:18:51that could be making residents ill.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53I know just the chaps to do the job.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58We breathe in and out about 20,000 litres of air a day.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01But we spend 90% of our time indoors,
0:19:01 > 0:19:04so indoor air quality is of primary importance to health.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08We're here to test today for a broad range of air quality factors,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11quality of life and health in an indoor environment.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17- Good morning, Ian.- Come on in.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Roger Martin is a certified associate member
0:19:22 > 0:19:24of the Institute of Environmental Science,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28and he and his team are going to test the indoor gases in Ian and Maria's flats
0:19:28 > 0:19:30and in three others in the block.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Roger has brought in his specialised monitoring equipment,
0:19:35 > 0:19:37which will take the gas level measurements.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Well, we've got some readings from the particulate side.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44You've got a lot of particulate matter in here,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47which is actually consistent with an unventilated environment.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50- That's a bit concerning, then.- Yes.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52So, having been exposed to this for six years,
0:19:52 > 0:19:53what's been happening to me?
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Well, you know, you would certainly have experienced
0:19:57 > 0:19:59severe adverse health reactions -
0:19:59 > 0:20:03tiredness, headaches, nausea.
0:20:03 > 0:20:04A six-year-long flu,
0:20:04 > 0:20:06probably at the best.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09The measurements are already pointing to something wrong here.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11This is quite alarming.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Roger and his team are keen to see what else they can find.
0:20:14 > 0:20:15Oh, hi.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18And they come up with some results...PDQ.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24You're pretty much elevated on all counts throughout the range.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Just to give you a general indication,
0:20:26 > 0:20:28your total volatile organic compounds
0:20:28 > 0:20:32were reading 4,500 parts per billion.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34If we were in a healthy property,
0:20:34 > 0:20:36we wouldn't expect that to be more than 300.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41The only way to keep those down is either to purify them from the air,
0:20:41 > 0:20:43actually to filter them out of the air,
0:20:43 > 0:20:45or by ventilation.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47So there you have it.
0:20:47 > 0:20:50As Roger and the team run tests in three neighbouring apartments,
0:20:50 > 0:20:52evidence is mounting up.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55All we need to do is wait for Roger's thoughts.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59This block is possibly one of the worst properties
0:20:59 > 0:21:01as far as air quality is concerned.
0:21:01 > 0:21:02Ouch!
0:21:02 > 0:21:04But when it comes to Maria's flat...
0:21:04 > 0:21:07One of the flats has shown carbon monoxide levels
0:21:07 > 0:21:12the highest that we've detected in a residential property, which is quite worrying.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19As soon as Roger sends over his initial findings to us in an email,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23we immediately send it over to the PR contact at Swan Housing.
0:21:23 > 0:21:24And a couple of days later,
0:21:24 > 0:21:29I'm going to try and get through to Swan Housing Association's top man.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31I've done a bit of research,
0:21:31 > 0:21:33and I've found out that this gentleman here, John Synnuck,
0:21:33 > 0:21:37is the Chief Executive of Swan Housing Association.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Not spoken to him before. He doesn't know I'm about to ring.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Let's see if I can get through to him.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46I always like, eventually, to get to the top.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56'I get through to the switchboard, and she tells me John is away for this week,
0:21:56 > 0:21:59'and suggests that I contact his personal assistant,
0:21:59 > 0:22:02'who, unfortunately, is also away this week.'
0:22:02 > 0:22:05Does his PA have a direct-dial number I can leave a voicemail on?
0:22:05 > 0:22:07'I ask for a direct-dial number,
0:22:07 > 0:22:08'but I am refused.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11'However, I am allowed to leave a message for John's PA.'
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Good morning to you. My name is Dominic Littlewood...
0:22:14 > 0:22:16'Leaving a message with a PA is not enough.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18'This is a matter of urgency.'
0:22:18 > 0:22:21Thanks very much. Look forward to speaking to you.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24Right...left a message for the CEO.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Unfortunately, he won't get it until next week.
0:22:27 > 0:22:31But let's ring back and see if someone will get a message through to him.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34'I decide to leave all the details of our initial findings
0:22:34 > 0:22:39'with the switchboard, hoping that she will pass on my message to John.'
0:22:39 > 0:22:40Bye-bye.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Right, I've exhausted every avenue to get through to the CEO.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46Doesn't mean he's ignoring me - he's not in the office.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50But I've got a funny feeling he'll know about that call in five minutes.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Meanwhile, I call the contact in the PR department.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56He asks for the final report.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58But as we need to do further tests,
0:22:58 > 0:23:00the report is not complete yet.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04Nevertheless, I decide to read out some of the initial findings
0:23:04 > 0:23:08about high CO2 levels, directly linked to poor ventilation in Ian's flat,
0:23:08 > 0:23:11and the carbon monoxide readings in Maria's.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13This is the facts.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15The WHO say it shouldn't be above 8.6.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18'I tell him the carbon monoxide readings are higher
0:23:18 > 0:23:21'than the World Health Organisation's figures.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23'He asks about the regulations in the UK.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26'To me, this is side-stepping the issues.'
0:23:26 > 0:23:27Let me ask you a question.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30Would you be happy you and your kids sleeping in there?
0:23:30 > 0:23:32'We then talk technical details,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36'and I stress that both of the initial findings from Ian and Maria's flat
0:23:36 > 0:23:38'suggest a problem with poor ventilation.'
0:23:38 > 0:23:41If you have ventilation, you won't get a build-up of carbon monoxide.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45'Winding up the call, I tell him that I'm taking the issue further.'
0:23:45 > 0:23:48I'm going to be contacting Environmental Health
0:23:48 > 0:23:50to see they're aware of this issue
0:23:50 > 0:23:52and see if they can do an investigation as well,
0:23:52 > 0:23:57and I think I'm probably going to end up having to speak to all the mortgagees and the lenders
0:23:57 > 0:24:00and so we need to try and sort this out ASAP.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01Bye-bye.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Now, I've just had a chat with a PR man
0:24:05 > 0:24:07for Swan Housing Association.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09It didn't go too well,
0:24:09 > 0:24:13but the point here is there are residents living in this block of flats
0:24:13 > 0:24:14when there's serious problems.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18From our tester's preliminary findings,
0:24:18 > 0:24:22I know that Ian's flat has shown high readings of carbon dioxide
0:24:22 > 0:24:24and in Maria's, carbon monoxide.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27But to understand these gases and their effects,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29I'm going to meet Dr Derrick Crump
0:24:29 > 0:24:32from the Institute of Environment and Health
0:24:32 > 0:24:36and expert in all matters concerning the air we breathe in our houses.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41What will we find in the house? What sort of toxins are we not aware of?
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Well, I think we're all familiar with the idea that
0:24:43 > 0:24:46we open the window and we let in fresh air.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49That air is coming into the house
0:24:49 > 0:24:51in order to dilute
0:24:51 > 0:24:56and exchange with the air that is otherwise enclosed in our rooms.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58CO - carbon monoxide...
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Can you explain to me what it is?
0:25:00 > 0:25:03Carbon monoxide is an odourless gas
0:25:03 > 0:25:06that's actually produced when anything burns.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09CO has a particularly severe problem,
0:25:09 > 0:25:12because it is a potential killer.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14If we breathe it in,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17it just makes us feel sleepy or we might develop a headache.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22And as the situation gets more acute, we may never wake up again.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25At what point should we be starting to get very concerned
0:25:25 > 0:25:26that they're dangerous?
0:25:26 > 0:25:30There are guidelines produced by the World Health Organisation
0:25:30 > 0:25:33that give us these sort of levels.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36We really wouldn't want levels to be, for any time,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38really above 100 parts per million.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40So that's carbon monoxide dealt with.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42But what about carbon dioxide?
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Carbon dioxide is a gas that we breathe out.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49And we don't consider it as a highly toxic gas as such.
0:25:49 > 0:25:52We use it as an indicator
0:25:52 > 0:25:54of how our body odours
0:25:54 > 0:25:58are contributing to the change in air quality
0:25:58 > 0:26:02and whether the ventilation is adequate because of that.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05Therefore, carbon dioxide, to be harmful,
0:26:05 > 0:26:08should be at a much higher level
0:26:08 > 0:26:13than we ever would experience in our homes or our offices and schools.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16So then, what's the bigger issue here?
0:26:17 > 0:26:20The levels of ventilation in many homes
0:26:20 > 0:26:23are decreasing as we make them more airtight.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25What we're losing
0:26:25 > 0:26:27is the air that comes in
0:26:27 > 0:26:31and we need that to remove the humidity that we generate
0:26:31 > 0:26:33from our activities
0:26:33 > 0:26:35and release when we use all sorts of products -
0:26:35 > 0:26:38when we do the cleaning. Any product, in fact.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40If you feel you've got problems,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42what should you do about that?
0:26:42 > 0:26:44Go to your GP, for sure.
0:26:44 > 0:26:48Think about "Have I checked my appliances?"
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Approach the environmental health officer
0:26:51 > 0:26:54at your local council.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56I think the important message here is
0:26:56 > 0:26:59don't ignore it, because it could cost you your life.
0:26:59 > 0:27:00Indeed.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05I'm worried now.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07Both bad air quality and a lack of ventilation
0:27:07 > 0:27:10are potentially very serious problems.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11Let me just say here
0:27:11 > 0:27:13that Swan Housing are not responsible
0:27:13 > 0:27:16for the construction of the building itself.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19However, they ARE responsible for the health of their tenants
0:27:19 > 0:27:22and for taking their tenants' concerns seriously -
0:27:22 > 0:27:24something I don't feel they've done.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26I'm even more determined to get things moving.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28I haven't had much joy with Swan Housing yet,
0:27:28 > 0:27:31but I have different ways to apply pressure.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34I'm going to get onto Environmental Health
0:27:34 > 0:27:37at Tower Hamlets, the local authority,
0:27:37 > 0:27:38and let them know.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40If their man doesn't want to play ball,
0:27:40 > 0:27:42don't worry. I'm not playing ball.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44I'm boxing.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49Good afternoon.
0:27:49 > 0:27:51'I speak to reception, and he gives me
0:27:51 > 0:27:54'the names, emails and direct telephone numbers
0:27:54 > 0:27:57'of the Air Quality Officer and the manager, Clive Shipman.'
0:27:57 > 0:27:58Bye-bye, then.
0:28:00 > 0:28:03Yeah, that's told the council about the dodgy ventilation in those flats.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05In fact, let's tell the whole world.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07That's going to set the cat amongst the pigeons.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17Good afternoon. Can I speak to Clive Shipman, please?
0:28:17 > 0:28:21'I explain the situation to Clive and give him the details of the case and our findings.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26'What a lovely chap. He got the picture, and he's on the case.'
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Clive, been lovely talking to you. Thanks for your help.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33I've now spoken to Environmental Health Services at Tower Hamlets,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35and all of a sudden, the guy says,
0:28:35 > 0:28:39"Dominic, get that information over to me." That's the sort of response I appreciate.
0:28:42 > 0:28:44With the environmental officers now on site,
0:28:44 > 0:28:47we step up the tests and bring in the big guns.
0:28:47 > 0:28:50But will Ian and Maria be able to catch a breath?
0:28:50 > 0:28:52It's like having a disability.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55I have memories of feeling healthy.
0:28:59 > 0:29:03Wouldn't life be easier if we had a little insider knowledge -
0:29:03 > 0:29:06if we knew exactly how industries operate?
0:29:06 > 0:29:09So, for once, we as consumers could be ahead of the game.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Well, I'm about to meet somebody
0:29:11 > 0:29:14who is fed up of keeping quiet
0:29:14 > 0:29:17and they're about to let you in on the tricks of the trade.
0:29:22 > 0:29:26In cash-strapped times, personal circumstances can change instantly.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28Whether you're struggling with bills
0:29:28 > 0:29:29or your business is in trouble,
0:29:29 > 0:29:32it's easy to rack up debts.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Facing serious money problems can be frightening.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38It's important to get the best advice.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42Today an industry has grown up around debt management.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45But it's a minefield, as some companies seem determined
0:29:45 > 0:29:48to exploit vulnerable people.
0:29:48 > 0:29:53I've come to meet an expert who works for a family firm established by his father,
0:29:53 > 0:29:57who experienced bankruptcy and found he couldn't find decent advice.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00To protect him from industry backlash,
0:30:00 > 0:30:01we've concealed his identity.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07At what point do people really come to seek advice about their debt?
0:30:07 > 0:30:09Normally when they're at the end of their tether.
0:30:09 > 0:30:13And the people that come to you, what kind of financial state are they in?
0:30:13 > 0:30:16Um, it ranges, really, from the single mother
0:30:16 > 0:30:19with one or two debts that they may have
0:30:19 > 0:30:22to professional working people that have run themselves into
0:30:22 > 0:30:24hundreds of thousands of pounds of debt.
0:30:24 > 0:30:28We've had clients that have literally had mental breakdowns
0:30:28 > 0:30:30over the amount of pressure,
0:30:30 > 0:30:33and continuous phone calls, text messages.
0:30:33 > 0:30:38I had one client that received I think it was a total of 37 calls in one day.
0:30:38 > 0:30:42From one company, I know of one instance where
0:30:42 > 0:30:44a prospective client came into the office
0:30:44 > 0:30:46and was told she could potentially face prison
0:30:46 > 0:30:48for not paying her debts,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51which is totally illegal on behalf of the creditor.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55There are plenty of reputable debt management companies out there.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58But unfortunately, it seems there are some
0:30:58 > 0:31:00who will take advantage of those in need.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05I know of a debt management company
0:31:05 > 0:31:07that was in partnership with a mortgage company.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11And it turned out the mortgage company was actually encouraging clients that were in debt
0:31:11 > 0:31:13to remortgage,
0:31:13 > 0:31:16purely to pay the debt management fee.
0:31:16 > 0:31:17Not to pay off the creditors.
0:31:17 > 0:31:19Not to pay off the creditors.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21In one case in particular,
0:31:21 > 0:31:25the prospective client came to see me after being with a rogue debt management company.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27Um...was totally mis-advised.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30Six months' worth of payments they'd made to the debt management company
0:31:30 > 0:31:33hadn't been passed on to the creditors.
0:31:33 > 0:31:34Once he realised this,
0:31:34 > 0:31:36the ramifications were unbelievable,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39to the point where he couldn't take it any more
0:31:39 > 0:31:41and he actually committed suicide over it.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44So if there are unscrupulous companies out there,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46what are the crucial questions you need to ask?
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Number one - how much do I have to pay?
0:31:49 > 0:31:51How much is going to my creditors
0:31:51 > 0:31:53and how long is this whole process going to take?
0:31:53 > 0:31:56And if they say to you, "We do not know how long this process is going to take"?
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Walk away. They're not the company for you.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03One of the attractive ways of paying off debt
0:32:03 > 0:32:04is taking out a loan.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06But if the bank turns you down,
0:32:06 > 0:32:10some companies are willing to step forward with a pay-day loan.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Some of the pay-day loans that are out there
0:32:12 > 0:32:14sound very good.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17You can turn round, you can borrow £100,
0:32:17 > 0:32:19and you pay back on your next pay day.
0:32:19 > 0:32:22What they don't show you is the APR,
0:32:22 > 0:32:24which is the annual percentage rate,
0:32:24 > 0:32:26they're charging.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29And some companies out there, I've been led to believe,
0:32:29 > 0:32:32are charging anything up to 3,500%.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35So how can we avoid dodgy companies
0:32:35 > 0:32:38and choose the right one to help with our debt?
0:32:38 > 0:32:42You can find out if there's a rogue debt management company
0:32:42 > 0:32:44simply by a Google search.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47If other people have had bad experiences,
0:32:47 > 0:32:49it'll be out there on the internet.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Pick up your phone. Speak to the Office of Fair Trading
0:32:52 > 0:32:55from where the company is based
0:32:55 > 0:32:58and you can find out then exactly who you're dealing with.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02Huge upfront fees is a really, really big warning sign.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04So how much should you be paying, then?
0:33:04 > 0:33:07The average amount we charge our clients
0:33:07 > 0:33:12is around about no more than a maximum of £150.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15So if someone asks you to pay upfront, if there's a warning sign, walk away.
0:33:15 > 0:33:16Big red cross.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20You wouldn't pay a mechanic for work carried out on your car before he started,
0:33:20 > 0:33:23so why should you in the debt management industry?
0:33:23 > 0:33:25Your monthly payments as well.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27How much of the money that you're paying them
0:33:27 > 0:33:29is going to your creditors?
0:33:29 > 0:33:30Also, do your homework.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32Find out, can you speak to any other clients
0:33:32 > 0:33:35that have gone through the debt management process?
0:33:35 > 0:33:36When facing a cash crisis,
0:33:36 > 0:33:39it's vital that you're not taken advantage of.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41The right help is out there.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43Take the time to arm yourself
0:33:43 > 0:33:45with the best possible advice
0:33:45 > 0:33:47to ensure you don't get done.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54Ian and neighbour Maria
0:33:54 > 0:33:57are concerned about poor ventilation in their flats.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00It's like having a disability, because we haven't got our full health.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02I have memories of feeling healthy.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04Swan Housing Association,
0:34:04 > 0:34:05who manages their block,
0:34:05 > 0:34:09had tried to sort out the problems, but nothing's worked so far.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12We've instigated air quality tests,
0:34:12 > 0:34:15and discovered excessive build-ups of carbon dioxide
0:34:15 > 0:34:17and carbon monoxide.
0:34:17 > 0:34:18It's serious.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21We need a proactive response from Swan Housing.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25I'm going to try and get hold of the CEO yet again.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31And yet again, I'm speaking to the switchboard.
0:34:31 > 0:34:33Can you put me through to John Synnuck, please?
0:34:33 > 0:34:37'She says all my calls should go through the public relations department.
0:34:37 > 0:34:39'But when I ask to speak to the CEO,
0:34:39 > 0:34:43'I'm passed on to his personal assistant, and she's pleasant enough.'
0:34:43 > 0:34:45Thank you. Bye-bye.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47Although that lady was polite,
0:34:47 > 0:34:49she was very evasive.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51I still couldn't get to speak to anybody in any authority.
0:34:51 > 0:34:54They wouldn't even give me an email address, even though I requested it.
0:34:54 > 0:34:56Why is that company being so difficult?
0:34:56 > 0:34:58There are people living there
0:34:58 > 0:35:01potentially in a dangerous situation. I'm only trying to help them out.
0:35:01 > 0:35:03I'm not asking for their bank account details.
0:35:05 > 0:35:10Later that day, Swan Housing emailed to confirm they ARE looking at our initial findings.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14And the next day, they send round technicians to run their own tests.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19Later on, they also respond to Ian regarding the CO2 readings
0:35:19 > 0:35:21he recorded on his own device,
0:35:21 > 0:35:23stating that they are being investigated.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26The squeaky wheel gets the oil.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28Things are finally moving.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Our own investigations continue.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Roger, the independent air quality tester,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37installs devices that monitor levels over 48 hours,
0:35:37 > 0:35:41with Ian and Maria instructed to keep a diary of their activities.
0:35:41 > 0:35:46Over the weekend, I just really need you to do what you would normally do,
0:35:46 > 0:35:50but to take a note of all of the activities in this flat.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53The results of these tests suggest that some of the gases,
0:35:53 > 0:35:55mainly carbon monoxide,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58were not coming from within the flats themselves,
0:35:58 > 0:35:59but outside.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02And the chief suspect was the external boiler ventilation flues
0:36:02 > 0:36:04on the side of the flats.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06It's frightening to come home.
0:36:06 > 0:36:08You can't have your window open,
0:36:08 > 0:36:09cos you need the ventilation.
0:36:09 > 0:36:14So now I have to have my window closed, just in case it's blowing from the downstairs boiler.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18A couple of days later, Roger returns yet again
0:36:18 > 0:36:20with a thermal imaging camera
0:36:20 > 0:36:21so that he can see what happens
0:36:21 > 0:36:25with the fumes that are released from the flues outside the flats.
0:36:25 > 0:36:27Using my thermal camera,
0:36:27 > 0:36:32I managed to identify that the vent is hot.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36Directly below it, we can see a pool of water on the pavement.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39The presence of this condensate on the pavement
0:36:39 > 0:36:42indicates that they haven't been correctly installed.
0:36:42 > 0:36:45The original intention of a boiler vent
0:36:45 > 0:36:48is to pump boiler vent gases away from the property.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52You know, you can actually film it yourself
0:36:52 > 0:36:56from this angle, captured by the light,
0:36:56 > 0:37:00without the use of the thermal camera.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03You can see quite clearly that those boiler vent gases
0:37:03 > 0:37:05are moving up and around
0:37:05 > 0:37:07the side of the building.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13Roger goes off and compiles all three test results
0:37:13 > 0:37:15into one report.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18And once we've got it, we'll send it off to Swan Housing.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21All we can do now is sit tight and see what happens.
0:37:30 > 0:37:31It's a month later,
0:37:31 > 0:37:34and Swan Housing have had weeks to digest
0:37:34 > 0:37:36the conclusions of our air quality tests.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40They too have got on the case, and have been testing all the flats in the block
0:37:40 > 0:37:42with their own team of experts.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44I haven't heard from them in a while,
0:37:44 > 0:37:46and I'm keen to hear what they have to say.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Good afternoon. Dominic Littlewood at the BBC.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51'It sounds positive.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53'The public relations man states that Swan Housing
0:37:53 > 0:37:56'are looking at technical improvements to the flats,
0:37:56 > 0:37:58'as highlighted on our report and theirs.
0:37:58 > 0:38:00'So I make a suggestion.'
0:38:00 > 0:38:04If we can have a copy of it, we can perhaps get our experts to look as well,
0:38:04 > 0:38:07and we might be able to bash our heads together and come up with a suitable plan,
0:38:07 > 0:38:10that we all agree on, that might be a solution to this problem.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14'He says that he'll pass on my message to the relevant people
0:38:14 > 0:38:17'and explains that their report is still being edited
0:38:17 > 0:38:20'and promises to get it over to us as soon as it's ready.'
0:38:20 > 0:38:21Thanks very much. Goodbye.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24OK. That was the spokesperson for Swan Housing.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Now, they told us they're looking at the reports
0:38:27 > 0:38:31and they're looking at it with a view to whether any changes are needed.
0:38:33 > 0:38:36It seems there's been a change in attitude at Swan Housing.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40This is admirable, seeing as they didn't build or design the block of flats
0:38:40 > 0:38:43that have small window openings and boiler flues right underneath.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45But the bottom line is
0:38:45 > 0:38:48they ARE responsible for the health of the tenants that live in them.
0:38:50 > 0:38:5214 days after my last call,
0:38:52 > 0:38:53we receive a statement.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56Time now, I think, to tell Ian and Maria.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00I hope they will be pleased with what I'm about to let them in on.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04How do you think I got on with Swan Housing Association?
0:39:04 > 0:39:06I'm excited to find out.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08OK, well, I'll let you know very, very soon.
0:39:08 > 0:39:09What about you, Maria?
0:39:09 > 0:39:12I reckon you must have faced a lot of difficulties.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15I experienced what you guys told me you experienced.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17Right from the first phone call.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20I tried to find out who the CEO was, managed to get a name eventually.
0:39:20 > 0:39:25Tried to speak to him, tried leaving a message with his PA, the switchboard...
0:39:25 > 0:39:26I hit them with everything I could.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29I put complaints into the Health and Safety Executive,
0:39:29 > 0:39:31environmental health, the council... You name it.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Now, that eventually started the ball rolling.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36And then things started to happen.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38Now I've got their attention,
0:39:38 > 0:39:42it's time to read the statement concerning bad ventilation in both flats.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45It's three pages long, so I'll just read out the relevant points.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48About the carbon dioxide, CO2.
0:39:48 > 0:39:52They say they "did record a series of events
0:39:52 > 0:39:54"where concentrations of CO2 exceeded
0:39:54 > 0:40:00"the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers' guideline of 1,000 parts per million."
0:40:00 > 0:40:04Now, that is an admission there is a problem.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08"In response, Swan is investigating options
0:40:08 > 0:40:13"aimed at increasing the rate of fresh air circulating within the properties.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18"For example, through the installation of a forced mechanical ventilation system."
0:40:20 > 0:40:25Now, I need to tell you, the reason they say they're investigating and not that they're putting it in,
0:40:25 > 0:40:27is because it's a very big job
0:40:27 > 0:40:29and they actually would need to apply for planning consent
0:40:29 > 0:40:31for that to take place.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33So it's not something they can actually commit to yet.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36But that is one of the options they're looking at.
0:40:36 > 0:40:38So, very, very soon
0:40:38 > 0:40:42this ventilation issue you've been complaining about will be in the past. It'll be gone.
0:40:42 > 0:40:43Excellent.
0:40:43 > 0:40:45You've been waiting seven years, you've been waiting six.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49- Right? That's got to be music to your ears.- Yeah.- Very pleased.
0:40:49 > 0:40:50They go on to say,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52"Swan is committed to this process
0:40:52 > 0:40:57"and will explore all the reasonable options available to improve air circulation within the building."
0:40:57 > 0:40:59- That's got to be quite a relief. - Yeah!
0:40:59 > 0:41:01I'd say!
0:41:04 > 0:41:05So far, so good.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07Swan are promising to have a really good look
0:41:07 > 0:41:12at not just Ian and Maria's flats, but the whole block of 100.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14Fantastic news.
0:41:15 > 0:41:18But let's now talk about the carbon monoxide issues in Maria's flat
0:41:18 > 0:41:21that came back with some of the highest readings.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24In your case, because you're two floors up,
0:41:24 > 0:41:28you felt that people's boilers, the flues and exhaust from that,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30- was coming in through your window. - Yeah.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32Well, this is what Swan have said.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36"Swan is 100% satisfied that the gas boilers installed within properties
0:41:36 > 0:41:41"are safe and are not the cause of the carbon monoxide spikes within these two properties.
0:41:41 > 0:41:46"However, there is a possibility that carbon monoxide produced by boiler plume
0:41:46 > 0:41:49"may be re-entering properties via open windows.
0:41:49 > 0:41:55"To counter this, Swan plans to adjust the gas flues responsible for ejecting carbon monoxide
0:41:55 > 0:42:00"so that these gases eject to a safer distance from the property."
0:42:02 > 0:42:05- Good.- They're saying they agree with you and they're going to move them.
0:42:05 > 0:42:10In the very near future, your problems should be history.
0:42:11 > 0:42:12Excellent.
0:42:12 > 0:42:13That's good news.
0:42:13 > 0:42:14Yeah.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Finally, we've all managed to get somewhere with Swan.
0:42:17 > 0:42:18We know you'll take care of us!
0:42:20 > 0:42:22I certainly will.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25- And on that note, I'll love you and leave you.- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30It is such a relief to hear
0:42:30 > 0:42:32that they're going to solve the problem of the ventilation.
0:42:32 > 0:42:35The children's health should improve. My health should improve.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38If they then start injecting fresh air from another source,
0:42:38 > 0:42:42using this mechanical ventilation, it's going to be brilliant for me.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44We spoke to Swan Housing and they said...
0:43:00 > 0:43:05They stress they did not recommend Ian keep his front door open, and...
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